i. Biography
Since 2016, Marilena Bonilla has held the technical direction at Bodegas Protos in Peñafiel, Spain, a role that sits at the point where cellar practice meets production planning. The work is built on order and follow-through: planning, organizing, and supervising the year’s tasks from harvest through to the finished wine that reaches the market. It is a remit that leaves little room for drift; the job is to keep the whole operation moving while each stage stays exact.
Coming Up
Before that, Marilena Bonilla trained at the University of Salamanca and the University of Valladolid, laying down the technical base for work inside a working winery. She first joined Bodegas Protos in research and development, where the brief would have meant testing, refining, and staying close to the detail. In 2009, her scope widened again when she also took on head of the Enotourism Department at Bodegas Protos, extending her responsibility beyond production and into the visitor-facing side of the winery.
Where They Are Now
The appointment is described in plain terms that fit the work itself: “I felt very fortunate when, 16 years ago, Bodegas Protos gave me the opportunity to work with its great team and later trusted me to lead the technical direction of its wineries.” Read that way, the role is not just a title but a form of stewardship, built on trust and on the daily management of a complex production cycle. The same is true of the team around her. As she has said, “I have been leading the technical direction of a group of winemakers, but I am not the only woman; there are five women within the production team, and there are more outside it.” The point is collaboration: one technical lead inside a larger group of people carrying the work from vineyard and cellar to bottle.
Signature
Among Marilena Bonilla’s signature wines are Protos Verdejo, Protos Vendimia Seleccionada 2019, and Protos '27. Taken together, they mark the range of the work under her technical direction at Bodegas Protos and the continuity of the estate’s portfolio.
In Their Words “I felt very fortunate when, 16 years ago, Bodegas Protos gave me the opportunity to work with its great team and later trusted me to lead the technical direction of its wineries.” “My work consists of planning, organizing, and supervising the tasks carried out throughout the year at the winery, from harvest to the final product that goes to market.”
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Marilena
What is Marilena Bonilla's current role?
As of 2026, Marilena Bonilla is Technical Director.
Where did Marilena Bonilla train or study?
Marilena Bonilla trained at University of Salamanca and University of Valladolid.
